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Signature · 39.6% low-access (87th pct)

Graham County, AZ

Graham County sits in the upper national band on low-access (39.6%, +17.5 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.

39.6%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
16.3%
on SNAP
39K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 AZ

USDA FARA access plate

County Graham County, AZ

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED

  • LA-ELEVATED 39.6% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +17.5 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-HEAVY 16.3% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 5.0% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-MIXED 22% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Santa Cruz County ( -3.3 pts)

Upper-band low-access

Graham County sits in the upper national band (39.6%, #410 of 3,079) with 2 LILA tracts.

#410
national by low-access %
#7
in AZ
5
low-access tracts
6K
food-desert residents

Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.

Signature read: 39.6% low-access (87th pct) (+17.5 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Graham County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Graham County's 39.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 87% of them and ranked #415 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Graham County's elevated USDA tier split

9 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Graham County, AZ USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 9 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (44.4%) 3 tracts limited (33.3%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (22.2%) Adequate 44% Limited 33% Severe 22% Food-access tier distribution: Graham County, AZ
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Graham County has 4 urban and 5 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.

Graham County vs nearby high low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Arizona, not a full county-board reprint

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

FARA 2019 · elevated low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Graham County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts9
Atlas Population (2010 basis)37,220
Low-Access Tracts5
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population14,755
Low-Access Share39.6%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population5,860

ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Graham County
IndicatorValue
Population39,232
Median Household Income$67,325
Poverty Rate17.3%above the national average
SNAP Households2,073
SNAP Participation Rate16.3%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.0%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population7.2%

Thick SNAP store book in Graham County

Graham County has 29 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 13 locations (45% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 13

  • circle k 2700419, safford
  • circle k 2701577, safford
  • circle k 2703495, safford
  • daily stop, thatcher
  • mt graham market, safford
  • speedway 2949, thatcher
  • speedway 2961, safford
  • speedway 2971, thatcher
  • speedway 2981, pima
  • speedway 2982, safford
  • speedway 2984, safford
  • speedway 2990, safford
  • thatcher chevron, thatcher

Combination Grocery/Other · 8

  • dollar general 14345, safford
  • dollar general 6614, safford
  • dollar general 13351, stafford
  • dollar general 23586, safford
  • dollar general 30083, safford
  • dollar tree 2892, thatcher
  • family dollar store 10218, ft. thomas
  • walgreens 02429, safford

Super Store · 3

  • food city 40, thatcher
  • thriftee food and drug, safford
  • walmart 1149, safford

Bakery Specialty · 1

  • mi casa tortilla, safford

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • carter's custom cuts, thatcher

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • murrieta meat market, safford

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • mt. turnbull apache market, bylas

Supermarket · 1

  • safeway 2648, thatcher

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Arizona

One of 14 counties in Arizona, 6 are shown here.

Apache County
54.7% low-access · 30.5% SNAP
Cochise County
43.9% low-access · 14.9% SNAP
Coconino County
32.5% low-access · 10.6% SNAP
Gila County
28.2% low-access · 14.6% SNAP
Greenlee County
32.9% low-access · 5.7% SNAP
La Paz County
53.4% low-access · 11.6% SNAP

Compare Graham County vs Apache County → · All Arizona counties →

Counties near Graham County's elevated low-access or SNAP band

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Graham County, both outside Arizona so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside AZ (39.6% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside AZ (16.3% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Graham County inside a higher low-access state context

Graham County sits inside Arizona (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Read with this county

Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .

PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Graham County, AZ are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 04009. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.

Note: This page presents public USDA and Census data for informational purposes and is not professional advice. Figures reflect the cited dataset vintages and may differ from the most recent local conditions. How this data is sourced & verified.